Travel in 2020??? What travel???
As a family, we haven't travelled anywhere since March 15th, the weekend that the first lockdown measures were announced. That weekend we stayed at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. It wasn't the greatest weekend as you couldn't get to the Mooloolaba shopping and eating area by car, due to the Mooloolaba Triathlon being on. My mother was with us, and due to her limited mobility she couldn't walk the distances required to get to the eating and shopping area. There were also a lot of people around and lots of bikes. One of the competitors tested positive for Coronavirus a day or two after the event.
The only other travel we have done since then, was a day on the Gold Coast, mainly around Coolangatta. The weather was perfect for a South East Queensland winter's day. It was very quiet and you could move around freely, due to the borders still being closed to other states. Here's some photos of our lovely day out.
We were supposed to go on a cruise in November, flying to Singapore and then cruising back to Brisbane on Radiance of the Seas. Our cruise has been cancelled, of course, due to government restrictions. It's so sad, but necessary that cruising in Australia has been cancelled until mid December. We now have a cruise to New Zealand booked for October next year. Hopefully we're cruising well before then. You may ask "Will we have to wear masks in public areas by then?" Would that worry you? I don't really like wearing a mask myself, but I will do so to cruise again. I know some people are very anti-mask wearing and won't cruise if you have to "wear a mask all day". The ships that are cruising (quite successfully so far) in Europe, well, they're passengers are not wearing a mask all day. Passengers can rest in their cabins and not wear a mask, they don't have to wear one while they're eating and drinking and it varies regarding whether they have to wear masks on deck or not, mainly due to social distancing. It all comes down to whether you really want to cruise or not and what you're prepared to do to cruise.
In regards to flying, it's difficult with basically no flights in and out of the country unless it's for emergency, necessary business or people repatriating back to Australia or back to their own country. There are some countries operating flights, with some of the airlines enforcing more restrictions than others. Should our government open the borders? It's a good question to which nobody really has the answer, even though they think they might. Air travel is fraught with difficulties in this time of the Pandemic. Some American airlines started out flying with nobody in the middle seats, but have now changed their tune with so many people wanting to fly. There is limited food and drinks available and in some cases you have to take your own.
Rail travel has been somewhat successful, particularly here in Queensland. We have some great rail journeys to go on. There's the Spirit of Queensland that goes from Brisbane to Cairns return, The Gulflander and Savannahlander in North Queensland, The Inlander that goes from Townsville to Mount Isa and the Spirit of the Outback that goes from Brisbane to Longreach. If you're interested in going on any of these rail journeys, please feel free to contact me. It's a great, relaxing way to travel and see the sights along the way.
Will there be a vaccine by this time next year, or earlier? Will this save the travel industry? I hope there is and I hope it does. There will, of course, be those people that won't have the vaccine, and the governments and travel sectors will have to work their way around these people. Let's hope there is some relief from this dreadful pandemic soon. There's been too many lives lost and people suffering from dreadful ongoing symptoms already.
All I can say, is that I'm happy that I live in Queensland, where we only have a few cases at this moment. We are still social distancing and I'm so happy that we don't have to wear a mask when I'm out and about, unless I'm in a crowded situation where I can't social distance. On the other side of the coin with the borders closed, businesses are suffering, some are closing down.
The Travel industry has probably been hit the hardest of any industry. I only hope that we can all travel again soon.
Take care and have a great day.
Cathy
email: travel@inspiration4travel.com.au
